Vehicle seat components have previously included side air bag modules and conventionally include a deployment location through which an air bag upon inflation moves to project outwardly from within the seat and provide occupant protection. The deployment location can be a seam that opens as the air bag inflates or the deployment location can be at the junction of an upholstered seat pad and a trim panel.
Air bags have conventionally included a gas inflator that is received within a stored air bag which can be folded or rolled. A sleeve has conventionally mounted within the air bag around the gas generator to direct the gas toward the deployment location; however, that does not stop some gas from inflating the bag away from the deployment location.
Prior art references noted during an investigation conducted for this invention include U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,030 Hill et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,853 Maly; U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,597 Saderholm; U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,389 Yamaji et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,610 Higashiura et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,673 Hasegawa et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,734 Saderholm; U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,749 Homier et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,232 Kalandek et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,546 Homier et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,603 Genders et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,878 Narita et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,032 Miwa et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,151 Wu; U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,410 Brown; U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,934 Harrell et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,122 Wu et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,304 Sorgenfrei; U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,801 Preisler et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,838 Dick, Jr. et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,637,531 Paruszkiewicz et al.; and also see PCT publication WO 00/09365 A1.